Lifestyle of LoveLetter from the Editor – February 2018

“It’s a lifestyle” has been a CULTURE catchphrase since 2009. We don’t just consume cannabis; it’s an important part of our everyday lives. Cannabis allows us to live healthier. It enhances music. Cannabis inspires our creativity, encourages us to work out—it’s even in some of our favorite food and drinks. And finally—physical sensations like orgasms are more intense and pleasurable when cannabis is involved.

February is notoriously one of CULTURE’s most intimate times of year, as we unveil our annual Sex Issue. The stories within this steamy issue embrace the themes of love, relationships and sex—and the many roles in which cannabis plays.

When it comes to love and relationships in particular, it’s clear that couples who imbibe together, chill together. This is in part due to cannabis’ role in contributing to healthier relationships, which is not a new phenomenon. There are a number of studies that have presented evidence of a positive relationship between sex and cannabis.

Back in September 2014, a study published in the Psychology of Addictive Behaviors proved there were fewer instances of violence between partners who both regularly consume cannabis. Additionally, cannabis appears to lead to more sex, according to a groundbreaking study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, which was conducted by researchers at Stanford University in October 2017. The study found that those who consistently consume cannabis have sex 20 percent more often than those who do not.

It’s no secret to consumers the ways in which cannabis can enhance the intensity of sexual pleasure and orgasms. Now with increasing research around sex and cannabis, we’re finding that when we masturbate to completion, our endocannabinoid systems are creating endocannabinoids. When we introduce cannabinoids derived from cannabis into our bodies, our endocannabinoid systems release more endocannabinoids, which help balance most of our bodies’ functions. A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine in November 2017 found evidence that endocannabinoids play a role in the sexual response cycle.

While there is a clear physical reaction our bodies experience when we consume cannabis, which keep may affect the intensity of our pleasure and orgasms, it’s possible that cannabis also has a way of strengthening the nonverbal and spiritual connections between people. This deepened sense of togetherness leads to better sex overall. There have been countless testimonials by individuals who find that cannabinoids like CBD and THC have the ability to make them feel more comfortable and less anxious. Ultimately, cannabis helps allow many people to embrace intimacy—which can clearly be a benefit both inside and outside of the bedroom.

Both catering to adults, cannabis and sex make a poetic partnership. With further research by scientists and cannabis companies providing consumers with titillating, exciting sex products, it’s sure the correlation between these two pleasures will only continue to strengthen.